CrimeDec 15, 2025
Men Receive Life Sentences in Home Invasion Murder of Jeweler Carlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in the 2024 murder of Hussein “Sam” Murray.
OtherMar 29, 2015
When choice is not a good thing
The size of the menu at The Cheesecake Factory makes Peter Smith’s head hurt. Don’t let your store be the Cheesecake Factory of jewelry stores.
Peter Smith, author of “Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent,” has spent 30 years building retail sales teams and has worked in wholesale as well. He can be reached at Dublinsmith@yahoo.com
Have you ever visited a Cheesecake Factory restaurant? If you have not, let me set the table for you. The food is, on the whole, pretty decent, the ambiance, for a larger restaurant, is warm and inviting and the prices are not terribly high.
Here’s the bad news: The Cheesecake Factory does not so much provide a menu as they give you a tome to navigate. The mega-menu is filled with so many options to the point that you can become paralyzed for fear of making the wrong decision.
As I turn each page of the huge menu my world becomes a blur until I eventually--since I was either persuaded by someone to make a reservation in the first place or had to wait for an hour to be seated-- settle on some dish or other, not entirely convinced that I’ve selected the right meal.
Second-guessing becomes the order of the day as I question whether I should have chosen something else. If I had more time with the menu perhaps I might have been more confident in my choice? Maybe I should have involved my wife to have been more certain, or surely the waiter could have offered a greater endorsement for one dish or another?
The Cheesecake Factory makes my head hurt. They make it too difficult for me to select a meal and to feel good about my choice. This phenomena is called the paradox of choice. We need choices, we need to feel that we are in control of our destiny, even for a seemingly simple decision like selecting a meal in a restaurant. When we are given too many options, however, the decision can become almost impossible to make. We occasionally manage to struggle through but such experiences are rarely pleasant and frequently unfulfilling.
Unlike a restaurant, where we are compelled to select something, a similar scenario in a jewelry store very often produces different results. Presenting too much information, and too many product options, can overwhelm the client to the point that inaction becomes not just the preferred option but, in many cases, the only viable option.
When faced with a Cheesecake Factory-like portfolio of choices, far too many customers leave the store without making any purchase at all.
Their desire to escape the barrage of stuff (both information and product) becomes far more appealing than their need to make
a buying decision. They have become so overwhelmed with options that they experience purchase-paralysis, and removing themselves from that stress by leaving the store becomes the best course of action.
There are, of course, no absolute number of options that a customer should have in a jewelry store, but I believe that three is about the right number.
Most of us are familiar with the general principle of “good, better, best” and, while we tend to think of that approach in a broader scale (my diamond story, my watch story, etc.), it also serves as a good approach in a more micro sense, once the engagement with customer has advanced to the stage that product should be introduced.
As Barry Schwartz wrote in The Paradox of Choice, “Having the opportunity to choose is essential for well-being, but choice has negative features, and the negative features escalate as the number of choices increases.”
Peter Smith, author of Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent, has spent 30 years building sales teams at retail and working with independent retailers to offer counsel and advice on matters of sales, marketing, personnel, training and compensation. A graduate of Boston College, he has served on the Advisory Board of Caliper’s Global Conference. Smith has worked in retail and on the wholesale end of the business with companies such as Tiffany & Co. and Hearts On Fire. Hiring Squirrels is available in print and Kindle on Amazon.com. Smith can be reached at Dublinsmith@yahoo.com and on LinkedIn.
More on Other
The Latest
Policies & IssuesDec 15, 2025
Sara Yood Named Co-Chair of RJC Standards CommitteeYood will serve alongside Eduard Stefanescu, the sustainability manager for C.Hafner, a precious metals refiner in Germany.
IndependentsDec 15, 2025
M.S. Rau to Open Store in AspenThe New Orleans jeweler is also hosting pop-up jewelry boutiques in New York City and Dallas.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
AuctionsDec 12, 2025
13.54-Carat Paraíba Tourmaline Sets Records at Christie’sSet in a Tiffany & Co. necklace, it sold for $4.2 million, the highest price and price per carat paid for a Paraíba tourmaline at auction.
Weekly QuizDec 11, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsDec 12, 2025
David Webb Reveals Ice-Cold Holiday Window DisplayThe jeweler’s “Deep Freeze” display showcases its iconic jewelry designs frozen in a vintage icebox.
CollectionsDec 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Oscar Heyman’s Sphene RingTake luxury gifting to new heights this holiday season with the jeweler’s showstopping 12-carat sphene ring.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
Events & AwardsDec 12, 2025
IGI Jewelry Design Contest Now Accepting SubmissionsThis year's theme is “Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean.”
TrendsDec 11, 2025
Pinterest 2026 Trend Report: Brooches, Bold Gold, Cool BlueIn its annual report, Pinterest noted an increase in searches for brooches, heirloom jewelry, and ‘80s luxury.
GradingDec 11, 2025
GIA to Offer Origin Determination for 3 More GemstonesStarting Jan. 1, customers can request the service for opal, peridot, and demantoid garnet.
IndependentsDec 11, 2025
Look Inside Day’s Jewelers’ Ninth StoreThe 111-year-old retailer celebrated the opening of its new location in Salem, New Hampshire, which is its third store in the state.
MajorsDec 11, 2025
Americas Gold Releases New Gold Chain CatalogThe new catalog features its most popular chains as well as new styles.
AuctionsDec 10, 2025
Francis Ford Coppola’s Watch Sells for $10.8MThe filmmaker’s personal F.P. Journe “FFC” prototype was the star of Phillips’ recent record-setting watch auction in New York.
WatchesDec 10, 2025
There’s A New Rolex Boutique in MiamiThe new location in the Design District pays homage to Miami’s Art Deco heritage and its connection to the ocean.
SurveysDec 10, 2025
Consumer Confidence Drops in November Inflations, tariffs, and politics—including the government shutdown—were among consumers’ top concerns last month.
SourcingDec 10, 2025
NAJA Announces Details for 2026 ‘Ace It’ Winter Conference“Longtime favorite” presenters, as well as first-time speakers, will lead talks and workshops at the annual event in Tucson next year.
Events & AwardsDec 10, 2025
MJSA Names 2025 Responsible Design Challenge WinnerSilas Smith of Meridian Metalworks won the challenge with his pendant that blends Australian and American landscapes.
AuctionsDec 09, 2025
‘Desert Rose’ Diamond Sells for $8.8M in Abu DhabiThe sale of the 31.68-carat, sunset-hued stone was part of Sotheby’s first series of events and auctions in Abu Dhabi.
ColumnistsDec 09, 2025
Holiday Sales Happen in December, Most Decisions Don’tMost customers who walk into your store this month have made up their minds. Your job is to validate their choice, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
TrendsDec 09, 2025
‘Once Upon a Time,’ Guzema Debuted Its Holiday CollectionThe collection features characters and motifs from Ukrainian folklore, including an enchanted mirror and a magic egg.
TechnologyDec 09, 2025
Gemvision Releases Updated MatrixGoldMatrixGold 3.11, the newest version of the jewelry design program, offers more flexibility, precision, and creative control.
Events & AwardsDec 09, 2025
MJSA Showcase Pavilion Returning to JA New York The pavilion will be part of the 2026 JA New York Spring show, scheduled for March 15 to 17.
MajorsDec 08, 2025
Juell Kadet, a ‘Lifelong Pillar’ of Rogers & Hollands, Dies at 96Kadet, a 1994 National Jeweler Retailer Hall of Fame inductee, helped grow the family-owned retailer in the Chicago area and beyond.
TechnologyDec 08, 2025
You’ve Heard of Smart Watches and Rings; Meet Smart EarringsBilled as the world’s smallest wearable, Lumia Health’s new smart earrings have a health tracker subtly embedded in the back.
TrendsDec 08, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Celebrating December’s BirthstonesDon’t let those with December birthdays feel blue. Help them celebrate their month with blue zircon, turquoise, and tanzanite.
CollectionsDec 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s ‘Tsar Star’ EarringsThe new pink sapphire version of the piece dances with its wearer in the brand’s “Icons After Dark” holiday campaign.
